The Jets walked cautiously down the street. Velma slowly paced herself, one hand held tightly by Ice and the other holding onto Graziella. Trying to be strong, she quickly looked over her shoulder every few minutes, only to see her friend's grim, tear-stained, starch white face. The red-head's eyes were dull and lifeless as she stumbled along with the gang. Velma opened her mouth, hoping to say a few comforting words, when suddenly she heard, "Hey, buddy boys!" Ice turned quickly, and everybody else followed suit. There was Anybodys, racing up the block. Velma couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. Couldn't she see they were busy? They didn't have time for her childish attempts to get into the Jets.

Obviously, A-rab was thinking along the same lines as her. ""Ah, go wear a skirt," he sneered.

Anybodys turned away from him and continued, "I got scabby knees. Listen—"

Ice clearly had no intention of listening to her either. "The first thing we do: we start showin' around like we ain't go nothin' ta hide," he interrupted.

Graziella stared at the scene before her without really seeing. Nothing made sense to her anymore. Whenever anybody said something, all she heard was a loud buzzing in her head. What was the point? What was the point of anything anymore? Riff was gone and nothing and nobody could bring him back. So why talk? There was no point to it anymore. There was no point to living anymore. She was finally drawn back to reality by Anybodys shout.

"Suppose they ask ya where's Tony, an' what party's lookin' for him—with a gun!"

A gun! How many more people are gonna die tonight?! Graziella thought to herself. She only heard bits and pieces of the conversation after that. Apparently Anybodys had gone and spied on them PR's and found that Chino was hunting for Tony. Graziella felt like she was gonna be sick. She hadn't been overly close with Tony, but he had been Riff's best friend and a really nice guy the few times she had talked to him. How much more blood is gone have to be shed before this crap stops?! Preoccupied with her thoughts, Graz hadn't heard the rest of what was going on, and so it was a surprise to her when Velma began dragging her down the street by the elbow.

"What's goin' on?" she asked, her voice raspy. It sounded as if she hadn't used it in years.

"We're splittin' up—lookin' for Tony," Velma replied, sounding frantic.

The duo moved swiftly in silence, thoroughly checking every nook and cranny on the streets for the former Jet. Stopping for a moment to catch their breath, Velma looked at her best friend. Placing a hand gently on her arm, she started, "Graz," she sighed. "Graz, I can't even begin to imagine what you're goin' through." The blonde felt immediately guilty. She was so relieved that Ice was still with her, meanwhile he had been the one that was supposed to be fighting. Riff was just supposed to be on the sidelines, but yet he was dead. "B-but," she continued, "you'll always have us—always. Just remember that," she finished softly.

Graziella shrugged her shoulders, too choked up to do anything else. She knew that Velma and Ice and the boys would always be behind her. They were her family—maybe a little bit dysfunctional, but still her family. So how was she supposed to tell her best friend that she just wasn't sure if that was enough? How was she supposed to say good-bye to her and the Jets? How was she supposed to explain to them that she simply couldn't go on living?

Velma nodded slowly. "Let's head back to Doc's," she whispered. Linking her arm through Graziella's, the two made their way back to the tiny drugstore. On the corner, with Doc's in sight, the girls heard the most sickening sound they had ever come across. BANG! It came from the playground. Screaming, Velma went to pull Graziella into Doc's, but the scarlet-haired girl shook her off and raced to the playground. "Graz, no! What are you doin'?!" she shrieked, taking off after her.

The girls raced into the playground, where a number of Jets and Sharks, alike, had already gathered, and froze at the sight before them. Chino was standing a few feet away, lowering the gun that was in his hand, looking terrified. Tony was laying on the ground, blood pooling around him. He had taken a clean shot through the back. Above him was a beautiful, petite Puerto Rican girl. She was holding his hand and willing him back to life, obviously trying to hold back the flow of tears Graziella knew she wanted so desperately to release. Bernardo's sister? Graziella suddenly had a flashback to Tony kissing the young girl at the dance last night. She gasped quietly. It couldn't be! She glanced over to Velma, who was hanging from Ice's arm, and looking equally shocked.

"C'mon, Tony!" Graziella whispered. "C'mon, you gotta live!" She was in tears once more. Her head lowered and her shoulders slumped when everyone realized that he was dead. She looked up in surprise, however, when she felt the fabric of Action's jacket brush past her arm. Ice pulled Velma behind him as he and the Jets moved to face off with the Sharks. Oh, God! No more, please!

Both gangs froze when the Spanish girl stood up a cried, "Stay back!" Graziella and Velma both stared at her, startled by the strength in her voice. She held out her hand to Chino, who dropped the gun into her grasp. She stared at it for a moment before demanding, "How do you fire this gun, Chino? Just by pulling this little trigger?" she finished fiercely, pointing the gun at the killer. The girls gasped in fear and, clinging to each other, stepped back along with everybody else. "How many bullets are left, Chino?" she went on, growing angrier by the minute. "Enough for you?" she screamed, pointing it at another Shark. "And you?" she continued, now turning towards the Jets. "All of you! You all killed him! And my brother and Riff!" she screeched, her eyes resting on Graziella for a split second. His name hit her like a fresh dagger in her heart. "Not with bullets and guns! With hate! Well, I can kill, too! Because now I have hate!" She looked around at everybody, the once innocent girl now raving like a madwoman. "How many can I kill, Chino? How many—and still have one bullet left for me?"

For the briefest moment, Graziella wanted to step forward and scream, "Take me!" She so desperately wanted to, but something held her firmly where she was. In the next instant, the girl had dropped the gun and fell to the ground, sobbing. Schrank stepped forward slowly. A lot of good he had done. Where had he been a few hours ago? The girl, seeing that he was heading towards the body, rushed to Tony and, wrapping her arms around him, screamed, "DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!" She slowly looked up and examined the faces of those around her. Everyone seemed to be a mix of shame, hurt, and embarrassment. Her eyes focused on Graziella and she realized that all her agony was perfectly mirrored in the girl's emerald green eyes. She looked pleadingly from the Sharks to the Jets, begging for peace.

Graziella was taken off guard by the strong desire to go wrap her arms around the small girl. She felt somewhere, burning deep inside her, a strong connection to Bernardo's sister—Tony's love. Her heart began to glow when Action, followed by a couple other Jets, went to lift Tony's body. It skipped a beat when they almost dropped him, but then picked up and began to thump faster when several Sharks came to their aid. Tears glistening in her eyes, she watched as they carried him out of the playground in a processional fashion. Allowing her hand to slip out of Velma's, she found herself following Baby John as he draped the girl's shawl around her. Tentatively she stood behind the Puerto Rican girl, testing the waters. After standing there for what felt like hours, she gently rested her hand on her shoulder.

Maria turned in slight surprise when she felt the touch on her arm. She was shocked to see the pretty red-haired girl standing there, tears streaming down her face, in a fashion matching her own. She hesitated for a second, before placing her own hand over the Jet girl's in a comforting fashion.

Graziella helped the girl stand up and slowly put her hand in her own. She had been right–about everything. Hatred was what had killed Riff and Tony and Bernardo. In that moment, Graziella released every bit of hatred she had ever harbored from her heart. She realized that she and this girl, this girl that Tony had loved, weren't so different after all. And in that instant, Graziella chose what Maria had chose—life. Maria had held that gun. She'd had all the power. She could've fired and killed God knows how many people, including herself. Yet, she hadn't. And neither would Graziella. She would live. She would live for him and she would live for their baby. She knew then that that was what had held her back earlier. Him. No matter where he was, Riff would always be with her and he would always be watching her. Okay, Riff, ya got me, she silently spoke to him. I'm here. And I'll be here for as long as I'm needed. And I promise you that our baby will know you. He'll know you and he'll love you, like I do. And one day, we'll all be together again. I love you, Riff. She smiled softly, knowing that wherever he was, he had heard her.

Graziella and Maria slowly made their way out of the playground, hand in hand. The Jets and Sharks followed them out, in a way that was almost reverent. Graziella looked back, her face softening at the sight of Velma and Ice and all the others. They were her family. And Vel was right—they would always be there. She then turned to face the Sharks, knowing that they were Maria's family. And maybe, just maybe, they would all be whole one day.

Author's Note: Oh my gosh! So, that's it! After everything, this story is finally over! Well, I'm kinda sad, but I wanna say thank you, thank you, thank you to all my amazing reviewers! You motivated me to keep going even when I thought I couldn't---thank you guys so much! I hope you've enjoyed it!